Operations Director

Come and join one of the UK’s largest independent providers in neuro and mental healthcare. We proudly employ over 4000+ people - no matter what your experience, we have jobs for everyone.

Are you a dynamic, experienced leader with a passion for delivering exceptional care across diverse settings?

We’re looking for a dedicated Operations Director and Registered Manager to take the lead in launching and managing our brand-new Children’s Service in Stafford for a set period. During this time, we’ll support your progression into a broader role as Operations Director, overseeing a portfolio of specialist services for both children and adults with complex needs across multiple locations.

As the Registered Manager, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering a high-quality, regulated Children’s Service that meets Ofsted standards and places children’s well-being at its core.

In your wider role as Operations Director, you will be responsible for driving operational performance, occupancy, quality assurance, and strategic development across services currently located in Hartlepool, Stockton, Lincoln, Swindon, and Stafford—though this may evolve as we grow. You will work closely with Service Managers and clinical teams to ensure care is safe, effective, person-centred, and fully compliant with regulatory requirements.

If you're an experienced leader ready to make a real difference—and thrive in a fast-paced, multi-site environment—we’d love to hear from you.

What you'll be working:

Our standard working hours are 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. However, we understand the importance of a positive work-life balance, and therefore, if you require some flexibility to better suit your personal or professional needs, we encourage you to discuss this with us, and we will do our best to accommodate your preferences where possible.This role involves regular travel between services and requires a visible, proactive leadership style to support teams and drive excellence across the region.

What you'll be doing:

• Leading and supporting a team of dedicated Service Managers who are committed to providing the best care possible
• Responsibility for the management of service managers in the region this includes all quality, people and financial targets for allocated sites within the region
• Jointly working with the quality team, business development managers and HR business partners to achieve these targets
• Working with the HR Business Partner and quality team to embed Just Culture so that the highest standards of safety, quality, morale and retention are achieved
• Responsibility for site converting referrals, overseeing site managers engaging with referrers and commissioners as required
• Ensure service leaders have a good understanding of their financial KPIs and their budgets, the expectations around regulatory compliance and meeting contractual and commissioner requirements
• Deal with any complaints with in a timely fashion in the right tone, ensuring that incidents are reported and investigated at the appropriate level and submitted in accordance with national expectations for NHSE/I requirements and in accordance with other commissioners and regulators
• Adherence to all Group policies and procedures and ensuring that all colleagues in the service are aware of and understand company policies.

What you'll have:

• Level 5 qualification in Leadership & Management for Residential Childcare.
• Experience working in a trauma-informed care setting, whether clinical or non-clinical.
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of Ofsted regulations and best practices for children’s residential care.
• Extensive experience overseeing multi-site services
• Experience in supporting children’s residential services is essential.
• In-depth knowledge of regulatory frameworks (Ofsted, CQC,HIS, CIS).
• A clinical background is preferred but not essential if you have relevant experience and transferable skills.
• Strong track record in operational leadership within the health, social care or specialist education sectors.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Experience in leading services/regions to commercial success
• Ability to lead teams across multiple locations and deliver measurable improvements in quality and performance.

We also want to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable facilities to participate in job applications or interviews to perform essential job functions. To support this, we are a Disability Confident employer.

What to look forward to:

• 25 days plus bank holidays
• Birthday off
• Join the Active Learning Hub and benefit from a wide range of e learning and face to face training and development opportunities
• Active Reward App giving discounts and savings on your weekly shop
• Free 24 hour confidential Employee Assistance Programme Helpline & App to support with legal, health, wellbeing, relationship and consumer advice
• A Nest Personal Pension account
• Access to join a Medicash Health Plan for you and your family to save money on everyday health essentials – like going to the dentist or opticians
• We recognise outstanding Active Behaviours via the Active Awards programme
• Enhanced Sick & Maternity Pay benefits
• Refer a Friend Scheme and earn yourself up to £1000 by recommending someone you know……and, of course, the support and guidance of our qualified clinical and business leadership teams so that you can really develop your career with Active Care Group